The nature of vans, sports utility vehicles and the other vehicles similar thereto is that it is frequently desirable for the user to convert the space within the back of the vehicle from a seat accommodating space to a cargo accommodating space. This situation arises more often in vans than in most other types of motor vehicles meant primarily as a transportation vehicle due to the suitability of vans for the transport of cargo. In order to convert the seat accommodating space into a cargo accommodating space it becomes necessary to handle the seat assembly.
An important factor concerning the ease of handling the seat assembly is its weight. Weight reduction, however, cannot be achieved by sacrificing the strength of the seat to adequately protect the occupant in an emergency situation. There exists a need to provide a seat assembly which will more effectively balance the ease of handling by weight reduction and the need to provide sufficient strength to protect the occupant.
One prior art reference, U.S. Pat. No. 2,582,687, proposes a manner for mounting a vehicle seat for movement to a storage position within the interior of the vehicle. The '687 patent discloses a motor vehicle having a seat assembly in the rear compartment thereof which is moveable from an operative position wherein it can receive occupants seated thereon and a storage position wherein both the seat back assembly and the seat cushion assembly are unfolded in an extended manner and supported alongside the roof of the vehicle. The seat back assembly and the seat cushion assembly of the '687 patent are slidably mounted on a set of guide tracks which allow the seat assembly to slide upward along the rear wall of the vehicle to an unfolded position alongside the roof. Such a manner of mounting, however, does not provide a desirable balance between weight and strength.